Alberta turns focus to rules, requirements of OHS Code

On March 30, Alberta Minister of Labour and Immigration Jason Copping issued the following statement on the public engagement for the Occupational Health and Safety Code (OHS Code) review:

“Alberta’s government continues to improve OHS laws to help workers and job creators achieve better workplace health and safety outcomes. The first step was the recently passed Ensuring Safety and Cutting Red Tape Act, which makes the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS Act) easier to understand and follow for workers and job creators. The new and improved OHS Act will take effect in the fall of 2021.

“With this improved overall health and safety framework in place, Alberta’s government is turning its focus to specific technical rules and requirements in the OHS Code. We are asking workers, job creators and health and safety professionals for their ideas to improve and update the OHS Code. I encourage Albertans to provide their input through an online survey. The survey opens March 30 and closes on May 10.

“The OHS Code has not been extensively updated since 2009 and changes are long overdue. Health and safety rules need to keep pace with changes to workplaces, standards, best practices and technological advances. They also need to be streamlined and simplified. Together, a revised OHS Act and updated OHS Code will help workers and job creators achieve better health and safety results.

“Workplace health and safety is everyone’s responsibility. The human and financial cost of workplace injuries and illnesses is too high. By updating OHS Code rules and making them easier to understand and follow, we can reduce those costs and ensure that every Albertan makes it home safely from work each day.”